Thursday, July 30, 2009
"Kinot" for the Jews of Islamic Lands
Kinana, Safiya, Rayhana, Kab, and thousands upon thousands more whose names were not recorded.... Al eileh ani bochiya - For these, too, I shed tears....
Compiled by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
From Sahih Bukhari, a collection of Muslim oral teachings, Vol. 4, Book 53, hadith no. 392:
Narrated Abu Huraira: While we were in the mosque, the Prophet came out and said, "Let us go to the Jews." We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to them, "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle."
--------------
Excerpted from Sirat Rasul Allah, a Muslim biography of Muhammad ("HaMishuga", according to Rambam) written by Ibn Ishaq (704-761 CE)
...The apostle of Allah invited the Jews, possessors of' the scripture, to accept Islam and tried to enlist them in its favour; but he also threatened them with the punishment and vengeance of Allah. He was told, 'Nay. We shall follow that religion which our fathers professed, because they were more learned and better men than we are.' ....
...On another occasion the apostle entered a Jewish school and invited those who were present to Allah. They asked, 'What is your religion, Muhammad?' and he replied, 'The religion of Abraham .' They said, 'Abraham was a Jew.' Then the apostle told them, 'Bring the Torah and let that judge between me and you', but they refused....
....Soon after his return the apostle assembled the Jews in the market place and addressed them: 'Make profession of Islam before Allah punishes you as He has punished the Quraysh!'....
....Then the Jewish tribe asked that the apostle of Allah should not shed their blood, but permit them to carry away as much of their property as their camels could bear. He consented and they loaded as many of their possessions as they could on their camels, even demolishing their houses that they might take away the thresholds. Then they left, with their wives, children, and household goods, and accompanied by their drums, flutes and singers. The rest they left to the apostle of Allah.....
....The apostle of Allah besieged the Qurayza for twenty five days until they were distressed, and Allah struck fear into their hearts. When they had become convinced that the apostle would not depart until he had humbled them, Kab, their chief, spoke to them thus: I have three suggestions to make, of which you may select whichever you prefer. We can obey this man and believe in him.... In this case, your lives, property and children will be secure.' They replied, 'We shall never abandon the commandments of the Torah, nor substitute any others for them.' He went on, 'If you reject this, we can kill our children and women, and go out to Muhammad and his companions with drawn swords; then God will decide between us and Muhammad. If we perish, we shall perish without leaving orphans who might suffer evil, but if we are victorious, I swear we shall take their wives and their children!' They rejoined, 'Should we kill these poor creatures? What would life be to us without them?' He said, 'If you reject this, too, then consider. This is the Sabbath night, and it is possible that Muhammad thinks he is secure. Let us therefore make a sortie, and we may surprise him and his men.' But they answered, 'Shall we desecrate the Sabbath, and do on the Sabbath what none has done before...?'
Then the Qurayza asked the apostle to send them Abu Lubaba - one of the Aus, to which tribe they had been allied - that they might consult with him. When he arrived the men rose, and the women and children crowded around him in tears, so that he was deeply touched. They said, 'Think you that we ought to leave the fort as Muhammad commands?' and although he said 'Yes', he drew his hand across his throat, to show that they would be slaughtered. .....
...In the morning the Qurayza came down from their fort to surrender to the apostle of Allah, and the Aus begged that as the apostle had dealt leniently with allies of the Khazraj he would do the same for the allies of the Aus. The apostle said, 'Would you like one of your own people to decide their fate and they welcomed it. He continued, 'Then let Sad b. Muadh decide.'
...They told him, 'Deal kindly with thy allies, because the apostle of Allah has appointed thee for this purpose.' But they entreated him too much and he said, 'Sad will take good care not to incur the censure of Allah by fearing the censure of men.' Then some of his people went away and lamented for the men of the Banu Qurayza, before Sad even reached them, because Sad had spoken thus.
....And Sad pronounced the following sentence, 'I decree that the men be killed, the property be divided, and the women with their children be made captives.' The apostle of Allah said, 'Thou hast decided according to the will of Allah, above the seven firmaments.'
The apostle of Allah imprisoned the Qurayza in Medina while trenches were dug in the market place. Then he sent for the men and had their heads struck off so that they fell in the trenches. They were brought out in groups, and among them was Kab, the chief of the tribe. In number, they amounted to six or seven hundred, although some state it to have been eight or nine hundred. All were executed.
One man turned to his people and said, 'It matters not! By God's will, the children of Israel were destined for this massacre! Then he seated himself and his head was struck off.
Aisha, the wife of the apostle, said, 'Only one of their women was killed. By Allah! She was with me, talking and laughing, while the apostle slaughtered her countrymen in the marketplace; and when her name was called, I asked, "What is this for?" and she replied, "I am going to be slain!" I asked why and she answered, "For something I have done!" Then she was taken away, and her head was struck off. But I shall never cease to marvel at her good humour and laughter, although she knew that she was to die." She was the woman who threw a millstone down from the Qurayza fort and killed a Believer.
Now the apostle distributed the property of the Banu Qurayza, as well as their women and children, to the Muslims, reserving one fifth for himself.
...The apostle of Allah selected one of the Jewish women, Rayhana, for himself, and she remained with him as his slave until she died. He had suggested marriage to her, that she should wear the veil (to separate her from all other persons, as his wives did), but she replied, 'Rather allow me to remain thy slave; it will be more easy for me, and for thee.' At the time of her capture she was an enemy of Islam, and desired to remain a Jewess....
....The apostle occupied the Jewish forts one after the other, taking prisoners as he went. Among these were Safiya, the wife of Kinana, the Khaybar chief, and two female cousins; the apostle chose Safiya for himself. The other prisoners were distributed among the Muslims. Bilal brought Safiya to the apostle, and they passed the bodies of several Jews on the way. Safiya's female companions lamented and strewed dust on their heads. When the apostle of Allah observed this scene, he said, 'Remove these she-devils from me!' But he ordered Safiya to remain, and threw his reda [cloak] over her. So the Muslims knew he had reserved her for his own. ....
...Kinana, the husband of Safiya, had been guardian of the tribe's treasures, and he was brought before the apostle, who asked where they were hidden. But Kinana refused to disclose the place. ...Some of the treasure was found. After that Kinana was asked again about the remainder, but he still refused to tell. The apostle of Allah handed him over to al-Zubayr, saying, 'Torture him until he tells what he knows', and al-Zubayr kindled a fire on his chest so that he almost expired; then the apostle gave him to Muhammad b. Maslama, who struck off his head.
....After the apostle of Allah had conquered the Khaybar forts and possessions, he arrived near the forts of al Watih and al-Sulalim, which were the last strongholds. These he besieged. ...After about ten days, the people realized the hopelessness of attempting to hold out; so they asked for peace and that their lives be spared. The apostle agreed, because he had already subdued all the other territory.
When the people of Fadak, a Jewish town nearby, heard what was taking place they sent emissaries to the apostle to ask him to spare them and they would abandon to him all their property. He agreed. ...but added, 'If we should find it convenient to expel you, we shall do so.'
-----------------
From a history of Jews under Islamic rule
Joseph HaNagid, the Jewish vizier of Granada, Spain, was crucified on December 30, 1066 by an Arab mob, who then proceeded to raze the Jewish quarter of the city and slaughter its 5,000 inhabitants.
In the 8th century, whole Moroccan Jewish communities were wiped out by Muslim ruler Idris I. In 1465, Arab mobs in Fez slaughtered thousands of Jews, leaving only 11 survivors, followed by similar massacres throughout Morocco. In Marrakesh, more than three hundred Jews were murdered between 1864 and 1880.
Throughout North Africa in the 12th century, the Almohads either forcibly converted or decimated several Jewish communities.
In Libya in 1785 Ali Burzi Pasha murdered hundreds of Jews; In Algiers, Jews were massacred in 1805, 1815 and 1830.
Decrees were issued and ordering the destruction of synagogues in Egypt and Syria (1014, 1293-4, 1301-2), Iraq (854-859, 1344) and Yemen (1676).
Jews were forced to convert to Islam or face death in Yemen (1165 and 1678), Morocco (1275, 1465, 1790-92) and Baghdad (1333, 1344).
Compiled by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
From Sahih Bukhari, a collection of Muslim oral teachings, Vol. 4, Book 53, hadith no. 392:
Narrated Abu Huraira: While we were in the mosque, the Prophet came out and said, "Let us go to the Jews." We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to them, "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle."
--------------
Excerpted from Sirat Rasul Allah, a Muslim biography of Muhammad ("HaMishuga", according to Rambam) written by Ibn Ishaq (704-761 CE)
...The apostle of Allah invited the Jews, possessors of' the scripture, to accept Islam and tried to enlist them in its favour; but he also threatened them with the punishment and vengeance of Allah. He was told, 'Nay. We shall follow that religion which our fathers professed, because they were more learned and better men than we are.' ....
...On another occasion the apostle entered a Jewish school and invited those who were present to Allah. They asked, 'What is your religion, Muhammad?' and he replied, 'The religion of Abraham .' They said, 'Abraham was a Jew.' Then the apostle told them, 'Bring the Torah and let that judge between me and you', but they refused....
....Soon after his return the apostle assembled the Jews in the market place and addressed them: 'Make profession of Islam before Allah punishes you as He has punished the Quraysh!'....
....Then the Jewish tribe asked that the apostle of Allah should not shed their blood, but permit them to carry away as much of their property as their camels could bear. He consented and they loaded as many of their possessions as they could on their camels, even demolishing their houses that they might take away the thresholds. Then they left, with their wives, children, and household goods, and accompanied by their drums, flutes and singers. The rest they left to the apostle of Allah.....
....The apostle of Allah besieged the Qurayza for twenty five days until they were distressed, and Allah struck fear into their hearts. When they had become convinced that the apostle would not depart until he had humbled them, Kab, their chief, spoke to them thus: I have three suggestions to make, of which you may select whichever you prefer. We can obey this man and believe in him.... In this case, your lives, property and children will be secure.' They replied, 'We shall never abandon the commandments of the Torah, nor substitute any others for them.' He went on, 'If you reject this, we can kill our children and women, and go out to Muhammad and his companions with drawn swords; then God will decide between us and Muhammad. If we perish, we shall perish without leaving orphans who might suffer evil, but if we are victorious, I swear we shall take their wives and their children!' They rejoined, 'Should we kill these poor creatures? What would life be to us without them?' He said, 'If you reject this, too, then consider. This is the Sabbath night, and it is possible that Muhammad thinks he is secure. Let us therefore make a sortie, and we may surprise him and his men.' But they answered, 'Shall we desecrate the Sabbath, and do on the Sabbath what none has done before...?'
Then the Qurayza asked the apostle to send them Abu Lubaba - one of the Aus, to which tribe they had been allied - that they might consult with him. When he arrived the men rose, and the women and children crowded around him in tears, so that he was deeply touched. They said, 'Think you that we ought to leave the fort as Muhammad commands?' and although he said 'Yes', he drew his hand across his throat, to show that they would be slaughtered. .....
...In the morning the Qurayza came down from their fort to surrender to the apostle of Allah, and the Aus begged that as the apostle had dealt leniently with allies of the Khazraj he would do the same for the allies of the Aus. The apostle said, 'Would you like one of your own people to decide their fate and they welcomed it. He continued, 'Then let Sad b. Muadh decide.'
...They told him, 'Deal kindly with thy allies, because the apostle of Allah has appointed thee for this purpose.' But they entreated him too much and he said, 'Sad will take good care not to incur the censure of Allah by fearing the censure of men.' Then some of his people went away and lamented for the men of the Banu Qurayza, before Sad even reached them, because Sad had spoken thus.
....And Sad pronounced the following sentence, 'I decree that the men be killed, the property be divided, and the women with their children be made captives.' The apostle of Allah said, 'Thou hast decided according to the will of Allah, above the seven firmaments.'
The apostle of Allah imprisoned the Qurayza in Medina while trenches were dug in the market place. Then he sent for the men and had their heads struck off so that they fell in the trenches. They were brought out in groups, and among them was Kab, the chief of the tribe. In number, they amounted to six or seven hundred, although some state it to have been eight or nine hundred. All were executed.
One man turned to his people and said, 'It matters not! By God's will, the children of Israel were destined for this massacre! Then he seated himself and his head was struck off.
Aisha, the wife of the apostle, said, 'Only one of their women was killed. By Allah! She was with me, talking and laughing, while the apostle slaughtered her countrymen in the marketplace; and when her name was called, I asked, "What is this for?" and she replied, "I am going to be slain!" I asked why and she answered, "For something I have done!" Then she was taken away, and her head was struck off. But I shall never cease to marvel at her good humour and laughter, although she knew that she was to die." She was the woman who threw a millstone down from the Qurayza fort and killed a Believer.
Now the apostle distributed the property of the Banu Qurayza, as well as their women and children, to the Muslims, reserving one fifth for himself.
...The apostle of Allah selected one of the Jewish women, Rayhana, for himself, and she remained with him as his slave until she died. He had suggested marriage to her, that she should wear the veil (to separate her from all other persons, as his wives did), but she replied, 'Rather allow me to remain thy slave; it will be more easy for me, and for thee.' At the time of her capture she was an enemy of Islam, and desired to remain a Jewess....
....The apostle occupied the Jewish forts one after the other, taking prisoners as he went. Among these were Safiya, the wife of Kinana, the Khaybar chief, and two female cousins; the apostle chose Safiya for himself. The other prisoners were distributed among the Muslims. Bilal brought Safiya to the apostle, and they passed the bodies of several Jews on the way. Safiya's female companions lamented and strewed dust on their heads. When the apostle of Allah observed this scene, he said, 'Remove these she-devils from me!' But he ordered Safiya to remain, and threw his reda [cloak] over her. So the Muslims knew he had reserved her for his own. ....
...Kinana, the husband of Safiya, had been guardian of the tribe's treasures, and he was brought before the apostle, who asked where they were hidden. But Kinana refused to disclose the place. ...Some of the treasure was found. After that Kinana was asked again about the remainder, but he still refused to tell. The apostle of Allah handed him over to al-Zubayr, saying, 'Torture him until he tells what he knows', and al-Zubayr kindled a fire on his chest so that he almost expired; then the apostle gave him to Muhammad b. Maslama, who struck off his head.
....After the apostle of Allah had conquered the Khaybar forts and possessions, he arrived near the forts of al Watih and al-Sulalim, which were the last strongholds. These he besieged. ...After about ten days, the people realized the hopelessness of attempting to hold out; so they asked for peace and that their lives be spared. The apostle agreed, because he had already subdued all the other territory.
When the people of Fadak, a Jewish town nearby, heard what was taking place they sent emissaries to the apostle to ask him to spare them and they would abandon to him all their property. He agreed. ...but added, 'If we should find it convenient to expel you, we shall do so.'
-----------------
From a history of Jews under Islamic rule
Joseph HaNagid, the Jewish vizier of Granada, Spain, was crucified on December 30, 1066 by an Arab mob, who then proceeded to raze the Jewish quarter of the city and slaughter its 5,000 inhabitants.
In the 8th century, whole Moroccan Jewish communities were wiped out by Muslim ruler Idris I. In 1465, Arab mobs in Fez slaughtered thousands of Jews, leaving only 11 survivors, followed by similar massacres throughout Morocco. In Marrakesh, more than three hundred Jews were murdered between 1864 and 1880.
Throughout North Africa in the 12th century, the Almohads either forcibly converted or decimated several Jewish communities.
In Libya in 1785 Ali Burzi Pasha murdered hundreds of Jews; In Algiers, Jews were massacred in 1805, 1815 and 1830.
Decrees were issued and ordering the destruction of synagogues in Egypt and Syria (1014, 1293-4, 1301-2), Iraq (854-859, 1344) and Yemen (1676).
Jews were forced to convert to Islam or face death in Yemen (1165 and 1678), Morocco (1275, 1465, 1790-92) and Baghdad (1333, 1344).
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Quotes and Notes Corner: Palestine 2009
The new Christian calendar year is as good an opportunity as any to review the history of Palestine from the civil calendar year 1 through the end of 2008 CE.
From 1 to 136 CE the people of Judea - called "Jews" in modern English - struggled on and off against imperial rule of their nation by the Romans. Jewish sovereignty in what the Romans later renamed "Palaestina" was finally destroyed with the crushing of the Bar Kochva Revolt.
In 351 CE the Roman Empire, morphed into the Christian Byzantine Empire, moves its center to Turkey and the regime continues to rule Judea/Palestine.
614 CE: Persians conquer "Palestine" under Chosroes. 628 CE: The Byzantines reconquer the region.
635 CE: Muslim imperialists from the Arabian peninsula conquer "Palestine".
661 CE: Omayyad Empire rules "Palestine" from Syria.
750 CE: Abbassid Empire of Baghdad takes over.
878 CE: A Turk from Egypt conquers "Palestine".
904 CE: The Abbassid Empire returns.
934 CE: Egyptians (eventually including the Fatimids) take over "Palestine" from the Abbassid regime.
1070 CE: Seljuk Turks conquer "Palestine".
1099 CE: European Crusaders conquer Jerusalem; their reign continues in parts of "Palestine" until 1291.
During the Crusader rule, in 1187 CE, the Kurdish leader Saleh a-Din (Saladin) of Damascus captures Jerusalem and most of "Palestine".
Even the Mongolians get into the act and in 1244 CE Genghis Khan inspires a successful invasion of "Palestine", parts of which they hold until Mameluk Sultans of Egypt defeat the Mongols at Ain Jalut in 1260. In 1299-1303 CE there was another Mongol invasion.
In 1517 CE the Turkish Ottoman Empire takes over "Palestine".
From 1799 through 1840 CE, "Palestine" saw French and Egyptian conquerors, until Turkish rule was restored. That is, until World War I and the final dissolution of the Turkish Empire in 1918. "Palestine" is taken over by the British Empire.
In 1946 CE, the British see to the establishment of the kingdom of Transjordan (later, Jordan) on 70% of "Palestine" as they received it. Transjordan is handed to a prince from the Arabian peninsula.
1,948 years from our historical starting point, Judea (still for some reason called "Palestine", as per the long-dead Roman Empire) reverts to the Jews. They decide to call their reconstituted commonwealth "Israel", rather than Judea. Perhaps because the heartland of Judea only returned to Jewish hands in 1967 CE.
1994 CE: Israel hands over parts of "Palestine" to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), headed by an Egyptian named Yasser Arafat.
2005 CE: Israel removes all the Jews from the Gaza region of "Palestine" and hands it over to the PLO.
2006 CE: The Iranian-backed, Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood-inspired Hamas takes over the Gaza region of "Palestine" from the PLO.
That's it, more or less. I believe there are three important points to note when perusing this timeline:
a) there never was any sovereign political entity or regime known as "Palestine" anywhere;
b) the Jews are the only rulers in the entire litany above for whom the Land of Israel ("Palestine") was also their sole national homeland;
c) the main reason there are Arabs currently residing in "Palestine" is that Arab imperialists invaded and instituted a "belligerent occupation of Palestine" (as it might be called today) in the early 600s.
But don't bother trying to show this to your self-proclaimed "anti-Zionist" acquaintances. Their standard reply is that it doesn't matter, none of it, which is the adult equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and saying, "Nah-nah! I can't hear you!"
Researched, compiled and presented by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
From 1 to 136 CE the people of Judea - called "Jews" in modern English - struggled on and off against imperial rule of their nation by the Romans. Jewish sovereignty in what the Romans later renamed "Palaestina" was finally destroyed with the crushing of the Bar Kochva Revolt.
In 351 CE the Roman Empire, morphed into the Christian Byzantine Empire, moves its center to Turkey and the regime continues to rule Judea/Palestine.
614 CE: Persians conquer "Palestine" under Chosroes. 628 CE: The Byzantines reconquer the region.
635 CE: Muslim imperialists from the Arabian peninsula conquer "Palestine".
661 CE: Omayyad Empire rules "Palestine" from Syria.
750 CE: Abbassid Empire of Baghdad takes over.
878 CE: A Turk from Egypt conquers "Palestine".
904 CE: The Abbassid Empire returns.
934 CE: Egyptians (eventually including the Fatimids) take over "Palestine" from the Abbassid regime.
1070 CE: Seljuk Turks conquer "Palestine".
1099 CE: European Crusaders conquer Jerusalem; their reign continues in parts of "Palestine" until 1291.
During the Crusader rule, in 1187 CE, the Kurdish leader Saleh a-Din (Saladin) of Damascus captures Jerusalem and most of "Palestine".
Even the Mongolians get into the act and in 1244 CE Genghis Khan inspires a successful invasion of "Palestine", parts of which they hold until Mameluk Sultans of Egypt defeat the Mongols at Ain Jalut in 1260. In 1299-1303 CE there was another Mongol invasion.
In 1517 CE the Turkish Ottoman Empire takes over "Palestine".
From 1799 through 1840 CE, "Palestine" saw French and Egyptian conquerors, until Turkish rule was restored. That is, until World War I and the final dissolution of the Turkish Empire in 1918. "Palestine" is taken over by the British Empire.
In 1946 CE, the British see to the establishment of the kingdom of Transjordan (later, Jordan) on 70% of "Palestine" as they received it. Transjordan is handed to a prince from the Arabian peninsula.
1,948 years from our historical starting point, Judea (still for some reason called "Palestine", as per the long-dead Roman Empire) reverts to the Jews. They decide to call their reconstituted commonwealth "Israel", rather than Judea. Perhaps because the heartland of Judea only returned to Jewish hands in 1967 CE.
1994 CE: Israel hands over parts of "Palestine" to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), headed by an Egyptian named Yasser Arafat.
2005 CE: Israel removes all the Jews from the Gaza region of "Palestine" and hands it over to the PLO.
2006 CE: The Iranian-backed, Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood-inspired Hamas takes over the Gaza region of "Palestine" from the PLO.
That's it, more or less. I believe there are three important points to note when perusing this timeline:
a) there never was any sovereign political entity or regime known as "Palestine" anywhere;
b) the Jews are the only rulers in the entire litany above for whom the Land of Israel ("Palestine") was also their sole national homeland;
c) the main reason there are Arabs currently residing in "Palestine" is that Arab imperialists invaded and instituted a "belligerent occupation of Palestine" (as it might be called today) in the early 600s.
But don't bother trying to show this to your self-proclaimed "anti-Zionist" acquaintances. Their standard reply is that it doesn't matter, none of it, which is the adult equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and saying, "Nah-nah! I can't hear you!"
Researched, compiled and presented by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
Monday, December 15, 2008
Quotes and Notes Corner: The Old Lady Down the Block
Just a reminder of the clarity we need today.
Years before the Balfour Declaration, a member of the House of Lords asked Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann, "Why do you Jews insist on Palestine when there are so many undeveloped countries you could settle in more conveniently?"
Weizmann replied: "That is like me asking you why you drove twenty miles to visit your mother last Sunday when there are so many old ladies living on your street."
I believe a similar reply is in order to those (Jews and otherwise) who ask why we insist on Hevron, Shechem, Gaza, the Golan Heights - when there are so many more convenient places, like Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Netanya, Caesaria....
Presented, with great hope of returning to the simple convictions of the early years, by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz.
Years before the Balfour Declaration, a member of the House of Lords asked Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann, "Why do you Jews insist on Palestine when there are so many undeveloped countries you could settle in more conveniently?"
Weizmann replied: "That is like me asking you why you drove twenty miles to visit your mother last Sunday when there are so many old ladies living on your street."
I believe a similar reply is in order to those (Jews and otherwise) who ask why we insist on Hevron, Shechem, Gaza, the Golan Heights - when there are so many more convenient places, like Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Netanya, Caesaria....
Presented, with great hope of returning to the simple convictions of the early years, by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Quotes and Notes Corner: Mumbai Massacre & the Fatah MO
In a conversation with a European friend of mine recently, he commented about the apparent intense efforts made by the EU media to downplay the Mumbai Massacre, which took the lives of nearly 200 people. Yet, here in Israel there was extensive coverage (and still is).
Even aside from the fact that Jews were specifically targeted in the Chabad House, there is another factor that draws our acute attention. What happened in Mumbai makes some of us think, "That could have been Tel Aviv...." Here's why (and please pay very close attention to who is responsible for most of what follows):
---
Oct. 2, 2001 - Two people were killed when Palestinian Authority terrorists infiltrated the town of Alei Sinai, opening fire on residents and hurling grenades into homes.
Oct. 4, 2001 - Three people were killed when a PA terrorist, dressed as an Israeli paratrooper, opened fire at the central bus station in the city of Afula. (Fatah - yes, that moderate group run by Mahmoud Abbas nowadays - claimed responsibility for the attack, by the way.)
Oct. 28, 2001 - Four people were murdered by two PA "policemen" opened fire from a vehicle on pedestrians at a crowded bus-stop in downtown Hadera.
Nov. 4, 2001 - Two people were murdered by a PA terrorist who opened fire at the French Hill junction in northern Jerusalem.
Nov. 27, 2001 - Afula, again. Two people were murdered by PA terrorists who opened fire on a crowd of people near the central bus station. (Fatah and the Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility this time.)
Jan. 17, 2002 - The city of Hadera, again. Six people were murdered when a PA terrorist burst into a Bat Mitzvah reception, opening fire with an M-16 assault rifle. (And again, yes, Fatah claimed responsibility for the attack.)
Jan. 22, 2002 - Two women were shot to death by a PA terrorist who opened fire in downtown Jerusalem. (Guess who claimed this one. If you said "Fatah," you win one ticket to Oslo.)
Feb. 6, 2002 - Miri Ohana and her daughter Yael, 11, were murdered in their home by a PA terrorist who infiltrated Moshav Hamra. An IDF reservist was also killed in the attack. (This time Fatah teamed up with Hamas. Isn't that nice?)
Feb. 25, 2002 - A police officer died after being fatally shot by a PA terrorist who opened fire in a residential neighborhood in northern Jerusalem. (Guess who!)
Mar. 5, 2002 - Three people were murdered when a PA terrorist opened fire in the midst of Tel Aviv. (This is getting redundant. Yes, Fatah claimed responsibility.)
Mar. 7, 2002 - Five 18-year-olds were shot dead by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Atzmona. (This time, it was Hamas. Don't you feel better now?)
Mar. 9, 2002 - Avia Malka, 9 months old, and Israel Yihye, 27, of Bnei Brak were murdered by two PA terrorists who opened fire and threw grenades at cars and pedestrians in the coastal city of Netanya, near the city's main hotels. (Fatah again.)
Mar. 28, 2002 - Three members of one family were murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Elon Moreh, entered their home and opened fire. (Not Fatah. Just Hamas.)
Mar. 29, 2002 - Two senior citizens were shot to death by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Neztarim.
Apr. 27, 2002 - A five-year-old and three other adults were murdered by PA terrorists infiltrated the town of Adora. The terrorists entered several homes, firing on people in their bedrooms. (This time, Hamas teamed up with the PFLP for the difficult job of murdering defenseless people in their homes.)
May 28, 2002 - Netanel Riachi, 17, of Kochav Ya'akov; Gilad Stiglitz, 14, of Yakir; and Avraham Siton, 17, of Shilo - three yeshiva high school students - were murdered by a PA terrorist in the town of Itamar. (Fatah proudly claimed this one.)
June 8, 2002 - Eyal Sorek, 23, his wife Yael, 24 - nine months pregnant - and Shalom Mordechai, 35, were murdered by PA terrorists who infiltrated the town of Carmei Tzur. (Hamas claimed responsibility. But who's counting?)
June 20, 2002 - The town of Itamar is struck again. Rachel Shabo, 40, and three of her sons - Neria, 16, Zvika, 12, and Avishai, 5 - as well as a neighbor, Yosef Twito, 31, who came to their aid, were murdered when a terrorist entered their home and opened fire. (Child-killers Fatah and the PFLP teamed up to claim this one.)
Aug. 10, 2002 - One woman was murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated Moshav Mechora and opened fire outside their home. (Fatah. I wonder if Abbas was aware of all these attacks by his people. What do you think?)
Oct. 29, 2002 - Three people - Orna Eshel, 53, Linoy Saroussi and Hadas Turgeman, both 14 - were murdered by a PA terrorist in the town of Hermesh. (Fatah.)
Nov. 10, 2002 - Revital Ohayon, 34, and her two sons, Matan, 5, and Noam, 4, as well as Yitzhak Dori, 44, and Tirza Damari, 42, were murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated Kibbutz Metzer and opened fire. (Fatah.)
Nov. 28, 2002 - Six people were murdered by two PA terrorists who opened fire and threw grenades in the city of Beit She'an. (Yes, still Fatah.)
Dec. 27, 2002 - Four yeshiva students - age 17 to 23 - were murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Otniel. (This time, it was Islamic Jihad. Where have they been? Busy with suicide bombings, I guess.)
Jan. 12, 2003 - One person was murdered when PA terrorists infiltrated Moshav Gadish and opened fire. (Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. So I guess they learned to apply what they learned from Fatah.)
Mar. 7, 2003 - Rabbi Eli Horowitz, 52, and his wife Dina, 50, were killed and five wounded when PA terrorists disguised as Jewish worshipers infiltrated Kiryat Arba, entered their home and murdered them at the Sabbath table. (Hamas did this one.)
Sept. 26, 2003 - Eyal Yeberbaum, 27, and seven-month-old Shaked Avraham were murdered during their Rosh Hashanah holiday meal in Negohot by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town. (Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.)
---
Then, four years pass without attacks of this nature. Why? Maybe because the IDF returned to the cities, towns and byways of the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas in Judea and Samaria. Until...
---
Mar. 6, 2008 - Eight students of the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem were murdered when a PA terrorist infiltrated the yeshiva and opened fire in the library where about 80 people were gathered, mostly teenagers.
---
But the Mumbai Massacre also reminded me of the Maalot Massacre, in which, on May 15, 1974, 22 Israeli high school students, aged 14-16, were murdered by members of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine who infiltrated the city of Maalot.
And finally, Mumbai most eerily reminded many of the Kfar Chabad attack 52 years ago. An Arab terrorist infiltrated the town synagogue and opened fire on a crowd of immigrant students and their teachers. He killed five children and one teacher.
In response, so the legend says, upon hearing the news, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, leader of Chabad Chassidim worldwide, retreated into his room, locked the door and did not open it for three days. At the end of this period, he offered his followers the only possible condolences: Behemshech habinyan tinacheimu. "By your continued building you will be comforted."
Researched, compiled and presented by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
Even aside from the fact that Jews were specifically targeted in the Chabad House, there is another factor that draws our acute attention. What happened in Mumbai makes some of us think, "That could have been Tel Aviv...." Here's why (and please pay very close attention to who is responsible for most of what follows):
---
Oct. 2, 2001 - Two people were killed when Palestinian Authority terrorists infiltrated the town of Alei Sinai, opening fire on residents and hurling grenades into homes.
Oct. 4, 2001 - Three people were killed when a PA terrorist, dressed as an Israeli paratrooper, opened fire at the central bus station in the city of Afula. (Fatah - yes, that moderate group run by Mahmoud Abbas nowadays - claimed responsibility for the attack, by the way.)
Oct. 28, 2001 - Four people were murdered by two PA "policemen" opened fire from a vehicle on pedestrians at a crowded bus-stop in downtown Hadera.
Nov. 4, 2001 - Two people were murdered by a PA terrorist who opened fire at the French Hill junction in northern Jerusalem.
Nov. 27, 2001 - Afula, again. Two people were murdered by PA terrorists who opened fire on a crowd of people near the central bus station. (Fatah and the Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility this time.)
Jan. 17, 2002 - The city of Hadera, again. Six people were murdered when a PA terrorist burst into a Bat Mitzvah reception, opening fire with an M-16 assault rifle. (And again, yes, Fatah claimed responsibility for the attack.)
Jan. 22, 2002 - Two women were shot to death by a PA terrorist who opened fire in downtown Jerusalem. (Guess who claimed this one. If you said "Fatah," you win one ticket to Oslo.)
Feb. 6, 2002 - Miri Ohana and her daughter Yael, 11, were murdered in their home by a PA terrorist who infiltrated Moshav Hamra. An IDF reservist was also killed in the attack. (This time Fatah teamed up with Hamas. Isn't that nice?)
Feb. 25, 2002 - A police officer died after being fatally shot by a PA terrorist who opened fire in a residential neighborhood in northern Jerusalem. (Guess who!)
Mar. 5, 2002 - Three people were murdered when a PA terrorist opened fire in the midst of Tel Aviv. (This is getting redundant. Yes, Fatah claimed responsibility.)
Mar. 7, 2002 - Five 18-year-olds were shot dead by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Atzmona. (This time, it was Hamas. Don't you feel better now?)
Mar. 9, 2002 - Avia Malka, 9 months old, and Israel Yihye, 27, of Bnei Brak were murdered by two PA terrorists who opened fire and threw grenades at cars and pedestrians in the coastal city of Netanya, near the city's main hotels. (Fatah again.)
Mar. 28, 2002 - Three members of one family were murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Elon Moreh, entered their home and opened fire. (Not Fatah. Just Hamas.)
Mar. 29, 2002 - Two senior citizens were shot to death by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Neztarim.
Apr. 27, 2002 - A five-year-old and three other adults were murdered by PA terrorists infiltrated the town of Adora. The terrorists entered several homes, firing on people in their bedrooms. (This time, Hamas teamed up with the PFLP for the difficult job of murdering defenseless people in their homes.)
May 28, 2002 - Netanel Riachi, 17, of Kochav Ya'akov; Gilad Stiglitz, 14, of Yakir; and Avraham Siton, 17, of Shilo - three yeshiva high school students - were murdered by a PA terrorist in the town of Itamar. (Fatah proudly claimed this one.)
June 8, 2002 - Eyal Sorek, 23, his wife Yael, 24 - nine months pregnant - and Shalom Mordechai, 35, were murdered by PA terrorists who infiltrated the town of Carmei Tzur. (Hamas claimed responsibility. But who's counting?)
June 20, 2002 - The town of Itamar is struck again. Rachel Shabo, 40, and three of her sons - Neria, 16, Zvika, 12, and Avishai, 5 - as well as a neighbor, Yosef Twito, 31, who came to their aid, were murdered when a terrorist entered their home and opened fire. (Child-killers Fatah and the PFLP teamed up to claim this one.)
Aug. 10, 2002 - One woman was murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated Moshav Mechora and opened fire outside their home. (Fatah. I wonder if Abbas was aware of all these attacks by his people. What do you think?)
Oct. 29, 2002 - Three people - Orna Eshel, 53, Linoy Saroussi and Hadas Turgeman, both 14 - were murdered by a PA terrorist in the town of Hermesh. (Fatah.)
Nov. 10, 2002 - Revital Ohayon, 34, and her two sons, Matan, 5, and Noam, 4, as well as Yitzhak Dori, 44, and Tirza Damari, 42, were murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated Kibbutz Metzer and opened fire. (Fatah.)
Nov. 28, 2002 - Six people were murdered by two PA terrorists who opened fire and threw grenades in the city of Beit She'an. (Yes, still Fatah.)
Dec. 27, 2002 - Four yeshiva students - age 17 to 23 - were murdered by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town of Otniel. (This time, it was Islamic Jihad. Where have they been? Busy with suicide bombings, I guess.)
Jan. 12, 2003 - One person was murdered when PA terrorists infiltrated Moshav Gadish and opened fire. (Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. So I guess they learned to apply what they learned from Fatah.)
Mar. 7, 2003 - Rabbi Eli Horowitz, 52, and his wife Dina, 50, were killed and five wounded when PA terrorists disguised as Jewish worshipers infiltrated Kiryat Arba, entered their home and murdered them at the Sabbath table. (Hamas did this one.)
Sept. 26, 2003 - Eyal Yeberbaum, 27, and seven-month-old Shaked Avraham were murdered during their Rosh Hashanah holiday meal in Negohot by a PA terrorist who infiltrated the town. (Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.)
---
Then, four years pass without attacks of this nature. Why? Maybe because the IDF returned to the cities, towns and byways of the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas in Judea and Samaria. Until...
---
Mar. 6, 2008 - Eight students of the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem were murdered when a PA terrorist infiltrated the yeshiva and opened fire in the library where about 80 people were gathered, mostly teenagers.
---
But the Mumbai Massacre also reminded me of the Maalot Massacre, in which, on May 15, 1974, 22 Israeli high school students, aged 14-16, were murdered by members of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine who infiltrated the city of Maalot.
And finally, Mumbai most eerily reminded many of the Kfar Chabad attack 52 years ago. An Arab terrorist infiltrated the town synagogue and opened fire on a crowd of immigrant students and their teachers. He killed five children and one teacher.
In response, so the legend says, upon hearing the news, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, leader of Chabad Chassidim worldwide, retreated into his room, locked the door and did not open it for three days. At the end of this period, he offered his followers the only possible condolences: Behemshech habinyan tinacheimu. "By your continued building you will be comforted."
Researched, compiled and presented by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
Labels: Fatah, jihad, Mumbai, terrorism
Friday, June 27, 2008
Quotes and Notes Corner I: A Palestinian State
24 Sivan 5768 - Welcome, blogospheroids, to the Quotes and Notes Corner. I will be using this space to present interesting historical and current items for you to clip 'n save. I hope it will be valued by my fellow news junkies, by history buffs, or by intellectual warriors in search of deadly ammunition.
For the first Quotes and Notes Corner in history, I'd like to quote from the official Fatah website - yes, nowadays, all the best terrorist groups have to have a website, too. If Arafat were still alive, he'd have a Facebook entry and a MySpace video ("Shout out to all the jihadeeeeeeeez! Whassup?")
In any case, in December of 2001, Fatah published an editorial marking the 37th anniversary of its first terrorist act (on January 1, the group claimed credit for a December attack). Fatah was founded, according to the editorial, "in 1957 when it issued its first statement calling for military struggle. In the period 1959 to 1964, Fateh published a magazine called Our Palestine. Eight years of organizing, recruiting, and raising awareness preceded the first military operation. The military wing of Fateh issued its first statement on January 1st, 1965."
Since from 1957 until 1967 Judea and Samaria (the "West Bank") were under Jordanian rule and Gaza was under Egyptian rule, and since Fatah of 2008 claims to want a Palestinian State (only) in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, would it be fair to assume that Fatah's "first military operation" was against Egypt or Jordan?
PLO Charter Rejects PLO Claim to West Bank and Gaza
Oops. The first, 1964 edition of the covenant of the Fatah-controlled PLO (a.k.a. the Palestinian National Charter) stated, in Article 24, "This Organization does not exercise any territorial sovereignty over the West Bank in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on the Gaza Strip or in the Himmah Area."
Of course, that historic first attack in 1964 and most (but far from all) subsequent attacks by Fatah and the PLO were on Israeli and Jewish targets. And the ostensible goal of all those attacks - a goal now agreed to by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and by US President George Bush and by most of the rest of the world - has been (supposedly) the creation of a Palestinian State in... the "West Bank" and Gaza.
A Palestinian State is 'the Most Important Weapon' Against Israel
And what is this Palestinian State for, in the eyes of Fatah (currently headed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and presented as a "moderate" alternative)?
According to their celebratory 2001 editorial, Fatah "believes that a legitimate Palestinian entity forms the most important weapon that Arabs have against Israel, the outpost of the imperialist powers."
Aha! Now that explains a lot.....
Sources:
Palestinian National Charter, 1964 edition: http://www.un.int/palestine/PLO/PNA2.html (last viewed June 26, 2008)
"The 37th Anniversary of Launching Fateh": http://www.fateh.net/e_editor/01/311201.htm (last viewed June 26, 2008)
Researched, compiled and presented by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
Labels: Palestinian State, PLO covenant, sources
Monday, December 24, 2007
More Inanity, More Insanity
According to the latest lunacy out of academia, Jewish soldiers don't rape Arab women because we are racists and see them as sub-humans.
Yeah. And if we truly respected the Arabs' common humanity, then we would treat them like their brothers do - like the Lebanese army indiscriminately bombed Nahr Al-Bard to crush a terrorist group headquartered there or like the Syrian army turned Hama into a parking lot to kill Islamists using the town as a base camp, for example.
And our supply of electricity and basic necessities to Hamas-controlled Gaza is utterly inhumane! My Lord, what have we been thinking? Clearly our not cutting off power and supplies to the Arab territory is an indication that we see them as subhumans.
And our persistent attempts to make peace with them just show our complete disrespect for them and their traditions. We persist, in our superiority complex, in pointedly ignoring Arab desires, wishes and aspirations to destroy Jewish sovereignty of any kind, to see all Jews in Israel dead, subjugated or in flight, to achieve death in a bombing or shooting attack, and their traditional beliefs that Jews are descended from pigs and monkeys.
We, in a display of typical Jewish arrogance, deny them their “narrative” that ends in a massacre of the Jews in Israel.
Yeah. And if we truly respected the Arabs' common humanity, then we would treat them like their brothers do - like the Lebanese army indiscriminately bombed Nahr Al-Bard to crush a terrorist group headquartered there or like the Syrian army turned Hama into a parking lot to kill Islamists using the town as a base camp, for example.
And our supply of electricity and basic necessities to Hamas-controlled Gaza is utterly inhumane! My Lord, what have we been thinking? Clearly our not cutting off power and supplies to the Arab territory is an indication that we see them as subhumans.
And our persistent attempts to make peace with them just show our complete disrespect for them and their traditions. We persist, in our superiority complex, in pointedly ignoring Arab desires, wishes and aspirations to destroy Jewish sovereignty of any kind, to see all Jews in Israel dead, subjugated or in flight, to achieve death in a bombing or shooting attack, and their traditional beliefs that Jews are descended from pigs and monkeys.
We, in a display of typical Jewish arrogance, deny them their “narrative” that ends in a massacre of the Jews in Israel.
Released Terrorists, With No Blood on Their Hands, Kill 37 People
Two terrorists who murdered 37 people last week in a double suicide bombing attack had been released from prison in a good will amnesty some time ago. Neither of the two men fell under the category of prisoners "with blood on their hands."
Could the two men described above be from the Palestinian Authority? Could their victims be Israelis?
Definitely.
However, that particular news item about "no-blood-on-their-hands" terrorists who went on to accumulate buckets of blood on their hands comes from Algeria. One of the jihadists was a 64-year-old man who had terminal cancer. His only crime until December 11, 2007 - for which he was imprisoned - was being a member of the Muslim fundamentalist Islamic Salvation Front. His younger accomplice, 32 years old, had been arrested on the charge of "supporting terrorist groups."
It has been clearly demonstrated that the overwhelming majority of terrorists released from Israeli jails also return to murderousness. 177 Israelis were killed, and many others wounded, as a result of "good will" releases between 1993-1999 alone.
In an unrelated item, Defense Minister Ehud Barak is to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Sinai this week. The meeting is supposedly part of negotiations with Hamas over their release of IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit in exchange for dozens of Arab terrorists imprisoned in Israeli jails.
Could the two men described above be from the Palestinian Authority? Could their victims be Israelis?
Definitely.
However, that particular news item about "no-blood-on-their-hands" terrorists who went on to accumulate buckets of blood on their hands comes from Algeria. One of the jihadists was a 64-year-old man who had terminal cancer. His only crime until December 11, 2007 - for which he was imprisoned - was being a member of the Muslim fundamentalist Islamic Salvation Front. His younger accomplice, 32 years old, had been arrested on the charge of "supporting terrorist groups."
It has been clearly demonstrated that the overwhelming majority of terrorists released from Israeli jails also return to murderousness. 177 Israelis were killed, and many others wounded, as a result of "good will" releases between 1993-1999 alone.
In an unrelated item, Defense Minister Ehud Barak is to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Sinai this week. The meeting is supposedly part of negotiations with Hamas over their release of IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit in exchange for dozens of Arab terrorists imprisoned in Israeli jails.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Inanity, Insanity and a Portent of Calamity
This week saw at least three events that stood out for their level of inanity, insanity and portending calamity.
Vatican City Must Abandon Its Christian Character
The first item that caught my eye this week - and knocked me off my chair for its sheer ridiculousness - was the statement by Roman Catholic Archbishop Michel Sabbah on Wednesday that a state defined as Jewish is unacceptable and should be reformed.
Leaving aside the fact that Sabbah never critiqued the self-defined Arab and Islamic states in this region for a moment, isn't Archbishop Sabbah an official representative of the sovereign state called "Vatican City," last link to the defunct "Holy Roman Empire"?
I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that Vatican City does have some sort of official state religion. No?
Juden, Raus!
The next item that I can't resist commenting on I refer to as "insanity," but on a more serious level, it actually amounts to a disgrace.
It seems that Knesset Member Yoram Marciano (Labor) is in favor of another Disengagement. This time in Lod, the city adjacent to Ben-Gurion International Airport and well within the 1948 armistice lines (a.k.a., the Green Line). Yes, you read that right - Marciano has publicly advocated expelling the Jews of Lod. Why? Well, because they are living in fear and find themselves under constant anti-Semitic attack by some of their Arab neighbors. Naturally. Isn't that pretty much national policy now?
It is eminently clear that someone who thinks that the proper response to anti-Semitic violence is that Jews be expelled from their homes cannot possibly be a Zionist or a Jewish patriot. Given that, I will point out an observation that should concern Marciano strictly as a non-sectarian Israeli leader.
Experience shows that expelling the victims does not end the violence perpetrated by thugs; it merely forces them to change targets. When the Christian Arabs in Lod come under attack, will Marciano propose "disengaging" them? And after that, when Sunnis turn on Shiites, will the Shiites have to go?
Allow me to assume that Marciano would answer my rhetorical questions thus: "Of course not! Don't be racist! We of the enlightened Left only ever propose expelling Jews."
Green. Peace.
The final bit of craziness for the week is the news that the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem are to be illuminated with green lights tonight. City Hall, under Mayor Uri Lupolianski, claims that the color was selected as a sign of Jerusalem's commitment to the environment, in conjunction with Greenpeace and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
I am not in principle opposed to such gestures in honor of the environment, but I wonder if it escaped the notice of the Jerusalem honchos that green is the color of Islamic conquest and supremacy. Well, timing is everything.
You see, these are also the days of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha and the season of the Muslim Haj pilgrimage.
Either the event planners at City Hall are abysmally ignorant of the holidays of their Muslim neighbors, and this is a coincidence, or they are well aware of the significance to Muslims of lighting up Jerusalem in green on their holiday - and that is precisely why they did it. If it is the former explanation, then I am shocked at the utter stupidity; if the latter, and City Hall simply wants to deceive non-Muslims as to the purpose of the green lights, then those lights portend far worse things to come.
Vatican City Must Abandon Its Christian Character
The first item that caught my eye this week - and knocked me off my chair for its sheer ridiculousness - was the statement by Roman Catholic Archbishop Michel Sabbah on Wednesday that a state defined as Jewish is unacceptable and should be reformed.
Leaving aside the fact that Sabbah never critiqued the self-defined Arab and Islamic states in this region for a moment, isn't Archbishop Sabbah an official representative of the sovereign state called "Vatican City," last link to the defunct "Holy Roman Empire"?
I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that Vatican City does have some sort of official state religion. No?
Juden, Raus!
The next item that I can't resist commenting on I refer to as "insanity," but on a more serious level, it actually amounts to a disgrace.
It seems that Knesset Member Yoram Marciano (Labor) is in favor of another Disengagement. This time in Lod, the city adjacent to Ben-Gurion International Airport and well within the 1948 armistice lines (a.k.a., the Green Line). Yes, you read that right - Marciano has publicly advocated expelling the Jews of Lod. Why? Well, because they are living in fear and find themselves under constant anti-Semitic attack by some of their Arab neighbors. Naturally. Isn't that pretty much national policy now?
It is eminently clear that someone who thinks that the proper response to anti-Semitic violence is that Jews be expelled from their homes cannot possibly be a Zionist or a Jewish patriot. Given that, I will point out an observation that should concern Marciano strictly as a non-sectarian Israeli leader.
Experience shows that expelling the victims does not end the violence perpetrated by thugs; it merely forces them to change targets. When the Christian Arabs in Lod come under attack, will Marciano propose "disengaging" them? And after that, when Sunnis turn on Shiites, will the Shiites have to go?
Allow me to assume that Marciano would answer my rhetorical questions thus: "Of course not! Don't be racist! We of the enlightened Left only ever propose expelling Jews."
Green. Peace.
The final bit of craziness for the week is the news that the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem are to be illuminated with green lights tonight. City Hall, under Mayor Uri Lupolianski, claims that the color was selected as a sign of Jerusalem's commitment to the environment, in conjunction with Greenpeace and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
I am not in principle opposed to such gestures in honor of the environment, but I wonder if it escaped the notice of the Jerusalem honchos that green is the color of Islamic conquest and supremacy. Well, timing is everything.
You see, these are also the days of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha and the season of the Muslim Haj pilgrimage.
Either the event planners at City Hall are abysmally ignorant of the holidays of their Muslim neighbors, and this is a coincidence, or they are well aware of the significance to Muslims of lighting up Jerusalem in green on their holiday - and that is precisely why they did it. If it is the former explanation, then I am shocked at the utter stupidity; if the latter, and City Hall simply wants to deceive non-Muslims as to the purpose of the green lights, then those lights portend far worse things to come.
